Using the index

Using an index

L.I. - Library/Research skills

Using an index to find information quickly

Most non-fiction books have an index.  Like a table of contents, it lists the books contents and relevant page numbers, but in much more detail.  It presents the topics in alphabetical order to help your search.  Below is an example from a health book.

INDEX aerobics                    2-14 breathing                 9-10 carbohydrates      36 co-ordination         20-25 cycling                       32 diet                              30-40 diseases                   45-65 doctor                       40-44 drinking                    63 drugs, harmful      70-75 drugs, medical       60-65 exercise                    11-20 fat                               35 fatigue                      76-79 good health            80-90 happy                       91-92 hospital                    40-44, 48-65 hygiene                    93-94

illness                           45-65 incapacitated           45-65 injuries                         60-65 inoculation                 96-98 lungs                             9-10, 60-64 medicine                      45-65, 96-98 mental illness            99-120 moods                          99-104 pharmacist                 60-65 physical activities     121-150 rest                                 151-155 self-discipline              115-120               smoking                       121-124 sport                             15-20 strength                      12-14 vigour                           140-150 vitamins                       64-65 weight                           30-35

Before you start highlight 4 words you don’t know and look them up in the dictionary.

Fatigue- Extreme tiredness after exertion.

Vigour- Active physical strength or energy.

Incapacitated- Render incapable or unfit.

Inoculation- a treat ( a person or animal) with a vaccine containing a dead or modified disease-causing agent,usu. by injection, to promote immunity against the disease.

Why are there two index entries for drugs? There are two entries for drugs because there are drugs that are medicine from your doctor and drugs that you are not meant to take.

Which two entries will help you find out about tiredness and how to cope? The two entries are 151-155 and 12-14.

Which pages would you turn to in order to find out about injuries? The pages you would turn to are 60-65.

Which two entries would you use to find out more about healthy eating? The two entries are Diet and Good Health.

Which pages would you turn to in order to find out about the bad effects of

smoking? The pages you would turn to are Smoking 121-124 and Lungs 9-10 and 60-64.

On which pages would you find out about hospital life? You would find out about hospital life on Hospital 40-44 and 48-65.

Why do you think there are two ranges of page numbers for lungs? There are two entries on lungs because there is one for lung disease and on for smokers.

On which pages would you find out more about the healthy effects of sport? The pages you would find are Sport 15-20 and exercise 11-20.